Birmingham 2 Burnley 1: fair play no match for tactical nous

The idea that Burnley could qualify for Europe under Uefa’s Fair Play league was shown up in all its absurdity yesterday

Fair play? Hardly, Mr
Laws. The idea that Burnley could qualify for Europe under Uefa’s Fair Play
league was shown up in all its absurdity yesterday.

They were comfortably defeated by Birmingham, a club promoted with them from
the Championship but who should finish in the top half of the Premier League
and record their best league finish in 51 years, rather than accompany them
straight back down.

Much of that has been down to the tactical astuteness of their manager Alex
McLeish, but the Scot was not rising to the bait when the injustice of it
all was put to him.

“That’s the rules and everybody knows them at the start of the season,”
McLeish said. “A lot of teams can get through that back door and good luck
to them.” There are a few hoops to go through yet before Turf Moor can
welcome back European football for